IT'S SO EASY TO CHANGE ACCOUNTANTS THESE DAYS 

Nick Roberts

It's a myth that it is difficult to change accountants these days. People think that it's too much hassle, it costs too much, you can't get the necessary information from your old accountant and your new accountant wouldn't know anything about your business or personal finances.

Well, the good news is that it is no longer necessary to put up with mediocre service or rip- off fees. Changing accountants these days is easy because:

• Your old accountant is obligated to supply any necessary information about your business or your financial affairs:
  
• The Accountancy + Business Advice Centre Limited doesn't charge set-up or transfer fees;
  
• Don't worry about receiving an extra large going away present from your old accountant in the form of a bill. It is very rare that an existing accountant will charge for providing the necessary changeover information and even if they do, the time taken cannot be more than 30 minutes at the most which means the cost will be insignificant;
  
• Even if they have carried out work that was unbilled prior to the date they were notified of the changeover, if the bill looks high or unjustified they are obligated to provide you with a detailed time and cost analysis of their fees. If you prefer, to save you the hassle (at no cost to you) we will be happy to take up the challenge on your behalf to dispute the fees and achieve a satisfactory outcome;
  
• You may out of courtesy want to notify your old accountants personally, but otherwise, we will take care of all the necessary formalities on the your behalf, including contacting the old accountants to request professional clearance and all relevant information and documents which we will require. To make it even easier, we even have a standard letter which you can sign thanking them for their work on your behalf but that your needs have changed and you consider it appropriate to appoint a new accountant (which can be prepared on your letterhead is required). We will also notify the IRD and the Companies Office;
  
• It really is very easy for us to quickly pick up the necessary background information to act effectively on your behalf. We are trained to analyse and absorb information rapidly and more often than not, can suggest improvements and highlight potential problem areas that have gone unnoticed for years.

So, don't delay, change today!

If you have any tax or business queries of any kind telephone 0800 ASK NICK, e-mail nick@abac.co.nz or click Contact Us on www.abac.co.nz. The information in this article is of a general nature and should not be relied upon as a substitute for specific advice.